Husband, wife victims of murder-suicide in Nepean

Jon Willing
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Published on: February 4, 2018 | Last Updated: February 4, 2018 8:49 PM EST

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Murder-suicide investigation in Ottawa

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A man shot and killed his wife before turning the gun on himself in the Pineglen community of Nepean early Sunday, police said.
Ottawa police received a call about a shooting at 84 MacFarlane Rd. around 1:30 a.m. Investigators have ruled it a murder-suicide.
“There is no indication of any other involvement or any additional suspects,” Insp. Glenn Wasson said outside the house.
Wasson said there were four people in the house when the shots were fired, including the deceased man and woman.
The others are believed to be their sons.
Police didn’t release the names of the dead couple, said to be in their 50s, or any other details about their investigation. Police also released no information on the type of firearm used.

Tony Marina. OTTwp

Neighbours said Tony and Safa Marina live at the house. The neighbours said the couple has three sons and they are originally from Syria.
A family member of Safa’s family who did not wish to be identified, confirmed the couple’s identities, adding said Safa “loved her children very much,” calling her a “good wife” and a “good mother.”
Safa, 53, has four sisters and two brothers in Syria and one brother in Canada, the family member said.
Tony and Safa Marina came to Ottawa 30 years ago.

Safa Marina. OTTwp

The Nepean community where they lived is southwest of the intersection of Hunt Club Road and Prince of Wales Drive.
The stone and red-painted bungalow was blocked by police cruisers and cordoned off with police tape.
Neighbours were confused about what they woke up to. None of the neighbours approached by this newspaper described hearing a disturbance or gunshots overnight but said police have visited the house in the past.
One neighbour said it was common for residents to call bylaw services to make noise complaints about arguing, car repairing, chainsawing and lawn mowing happening at the house overnight.
“Lots of yelling,” one neighbour said. “It just wasn’t a happy family situation.”
Some neighbours made property standards complaints over the look of the front yard, parts of which are concealed by a rickety fence.

Ottawa Police Service’s major crime unit was called to investigate a murder-suicide on MacFarlane Road. Ashley Fraser / Postmedia

According to neighbours, Tony Marina often worked on cars and other mechanical projects.
On Sunday, there were snow-covered tools and ladders in the front yard.
Neighbours, all of whom didn’t want to be identified, said they didn’t socialize with the Marina family. They described a neighbourly relationship, but said there were trying moments, particularly when the yelling and arguing created a disturbance.
The Marina family has lived at the house for at least 20 years, according to neighbours.
The neighbours had mixed descriptions of the Marina family. On one hand, no one has had a long enough conversation with the family to provide much insight about the household. On the other hand, several neighbours expressed unease about Tony Marina.
“He’s the kind of guy who’s in the middle of everything,” one neighbour said of Tony Marina.
Neighbours didn’t have any complaints about Safa Marina.
“They’re always nice to us,” another neighbour said. “Just loud and a little odd.”
A woman who identified herself as Tony Marina’s sister at another Ottawa home declined to discuss the matter on the phone.
jwilling@postmedia.com
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